I spotted this vehicle while on one of my rambles through town. Out of sheer respect, I had to stop and snap a photo. I say “snap” because I only had my cell with me. It’s a cheap phone, because I dislike spending $500 (or even a $100) on a phone.

The more I looked at her, the more fascinated I became (yes, I am a weirdo, thanks for noticing). To me she is amazing: the texture, the colors, the scars. Intriguing. How did she get this scar? And what about that one over there? The miles she has driven. The wonders and perhaps tragedies she has seen. The loads she has carried. Not one centimeter of her isn’t mysterious, beautiful, and well loved. What a life she has had, and what more is still to come?

It made me wonder why we are so afraid of aging.

The signs of wear and tear, love lost and found, grief and art, courage, fear, battles fought…unique to each of us.

In my world rudeness happens only on the bluest of moons. Courtesy is the very first rule taught in driving. Our elderly are afforded respect and dignity. All animals are treated humanely, because animals are an extension of people. We do not emulate the perceived cruelty found in nature, we rise above it. Honesty is revered, but we always take care to impart truth gently, ensuring that we never deliberately hurt another’s feelings.

We still have mom and pop markets, just around the corner and down the street in our neighborhoods. You always have time to say a kind word or two to anyone you meet. Everyone cares for all the world’s children, not just their own, although especially their own. A tree is never cut down to make room for a slab of concrete, and progress does not mean getting rid of a nature preserve, park, or someone’s home to make way for a parking lot or an oil pipeline.

It never occurs to anyone to judge another’s worth based on clothes, skin color, religion, sexuality, age, or the amount of money in their wallet. Everyone knows that human beings have boundless creativity and an endless capacity to love. It is only one’s heart that matters. We work together, rather than against, because this really does make the most sense.

Every individual is mindful that others coexist in this world and that we all have the same rights. All of us gratefully, humbly, and with open hearts share whatever it is that we can. We always pay a good deed forward. Physical violence does not exist, because we have evolved past the need to feel “powerful” by shaming, controlling, or demeaning someone else. We know that true power is never attained by trying to control another. True power is always generous and inclusive. There are no wars, because we all know that this is one planet and its care has been entrusted to each of us to tend and then pass on to our children.

Of course, it’s not a perfect place this world of mine. We still stumble and fall, skinning a knee here and there. Sadly, devastating diseases like cancer and AIDs exist, but with the brilliance on this planet it is only a matter of time until cures are discovered. On occasion a harsh word may pass our lips, but we make up quickly, cleanly, and completely. We don’t hold a grudge, because we are all well aware that not a one of us is perfect. Mistakes happen, but we don’t beat up ourselves or others.

As John Lennon once said, “You may call me a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.” I believe that there are many of us…In My World.

May 2016 be kinder, gentler, and a Dreams-do-Come-True type of year for you.

Just kidding. I don’t find anything about the color blue, boring. Except perhaps feeling blue. I can’t feel blue for too long. Perhaps because I’m not a color, but rather some sort of humanoid. That’s my current theory, anyway. Feeling blue just gets old after not too long of a time, and then I need to move on. Look to the future with some sort of hope and at least a semi plan.

No plan, yet. Until I do, I’ll just have to make due with some peaceful blue.

Sky Blue Cloud Angel & Genie: I’m pretty certain I’m the only one who sees these two beings in these particular clouds. One has wings and one doesn’t. One looks a bit like an angel, the other looks more like a genie of some sort. Maybe they’re both angels. Maybe they’re both genies. Maybe they’re both just clouds (what???). It doesn’t matter to me, as I think they’re beautiful regardless. The important thing in the photo is actually the faint rainbow. So, we can all make a wish. I hope you wish for peace. That’s my wish, anyway.

Early (before 4:00) Morning Blue – Gaviota: Grainy yes, but I sort of like that effect on occasion. Rare occasion. Like this one.

Edinburgh Castle – Queen Margaret Blue: This small chapel inside the gates of Edinburgh Castle gave me permission to take a moment. Take a moment and breathe. I sometimes forget to do that. Life makes me hold my breath often. Mostly out of sheer shock. Although, how anything could really shock me at this point is bizarre. I’ve seen a lot during the years that I’ve inhabited this planet. And I am continually amazed at how utterly cruel we can be toward one another. Thank goodness, I’m also continually reminded of how good people can actually be. It’s a balance, I suppose.

It’s the color of many a tree trunk, leaves that have fallen, lots of rocks/stones/boulders, my desk, good clean dirt, and a large percentage of my wardrobe. It’s also the color of decay. But even with this on its resume, I still love the color brown. And then there is my absolute favorite of favorites (outside of my husband, that is) and a lot of other peoples’ favorites, you-gotta-know-where-this-is-headed, the magnificent, the nearly magical and unearthly satisfying chocolate. Be still my heart.

For chocolate alone, brown would be one of my top three colors. Perhaps even number one. Depends on the day.

Some kind of seed pod. Perhaps one of you nature buffs will know what it is. It caught my eye, but apparently the feeling wasn’t mutual. So, it didn’t tell me what its called. That’s okay. We didn’t know each other very well. Joshua Tree, California

Decaying blossom I spotted on a street corner. If I can have even half this grace in my aging process, it will be thrilling. Nature does it all so uh, naturally. Probably because nature doesn’t fight the inevitable. Or at least, not that we know of.Solvang, California.

I didn’t manage to take any photos of chocolate. It doesn’t last long enough in our house to have its picture taken. True story.

I’m not actually peddling green eggs or ham. But these photos put me in mind of something that is off the menu. A special (weird) request (obsession) that someone (me) might make. You might like these Green (or otherwise) Skies. Please keep in mind, I’m not trying to improve upon nature. That is one of the few things I do not believe is possible. However, I do believe you can improve upon bad shots or at the very least create something interesting out of something terrible.

Highway Shot – Green Sun: I went really broad with the saturation and it turned the sun green. It reminded me so much of my home planet that I turned it up even further.

Highway Shot – Primitive Cloud Man: Yeah I know. You probably don’t see him. Somehow when I look at this light and cloud formation that’s what I see. There is a bird perched on one of his shoulders, who is telling him the latest Cloud Gossip. Primitive Cloud man’s head is shaped like a box. So, he is actually Box-Headed-Primitive-Cloud-Man. Hmm…now that I keep looking at him, he actually looks like he might have a beak. Or he could have some sort of lizard face. He may be dancing a jig. That’s what it looks like from here.

Highway Shot – The Aliens are Landing: Turns out they weren’t actually landing. It was more of drive-by. I really thought my people had finally come to pick me. Very disappointing.

I’m gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelierI’m gonna live like tomorrow doesn’t exist, like it doesn’t existI’m gonna fly like a bird through the night, feel my tears as they dryI’m gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier

~Sia, “Chandelier”

The Oaks Hotel ~ Alnwick, Northumberland

Dirty Dick’s Pub ~ Edinburgh

Wynn Hotel ~ Las Vegas

Edinburgh Castle ~ Edinburgh

Excalibur Hotel ~ Las Vegas

Sia’s painfully exquisite piece “Chandelier” is about partying to excess. I’m about as far away from a “party girl” as one can possibly be, but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy a good chandelier. Given the opportunity (which has eluded me thus far), I doubt I’d swing from one, either. Doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate their beauty, regardless of how many (too-many-to-count) stares and murmurs I may encounter whilst looking up at ceilings.

Unlike Donovan, I admit to nothing, folks. I’m just saying I like the color yellow.

Okay, here’s the deal: I decided to put a challenge to myself (since no one else stepped up to the plate, ahem). My rules are simple:

a. Pick a color.

b. Pick a song lyric or quote to go along with the color.

c. Choose three photographs from my portfolio that display said color.

This post is my first time unto the breach, dear friends. After browsing dozens of my photos I begin to despair at the choice of yellow. What was I thinking?? Hmm…perhaps it was the banana peel.

I spotted this lovely mellowish, proudly and most definitely yellow rose among the grasses and wild flowers along the walk from the village of Craster to Dunstanburgh Castle. Yeah, yeah, I hear you. This one was a straightforward choice. Not too worry the next two will be a bit less so.

One fine misty, mellow, yellowish morning at Gaviota State Beach California. The quiet was marvelous.

Yeah, I’ll admit it. I got really lucky finding this capture since it was hidden, nay buried along with quite a few other shots I’d completely forgotten about. A pretty cool mellowed and much yellowed stained glass window at Jedburgh Abbey in the amazing Scottish Borders. My husband and I fell in love with the area.

Should anyone viewing this post get it into their heads to follow suit and take part in the Mellow Yellow challenge, please leave me a link to your post in the comments. I’d love to see what you come up with.

In the grand closing style of the illustrious Loonie Toons and as verbalized by the maverick Porky Pig, Th-Th-That’s All Folks.